1. Field of the Invention
This present invention relates to a feed unit for filling a coin module with coins which comprises at least one coin storage means to receive coins and a shell surrounding said latter and which is provided with a charge aperture for filling coins into the storage means that can be closed off with the aid of a first closing element and a discharge aperture for dispensing coins from said storage means that is adapted to be closed off by a second closing element.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is prior known from DE 10 2007 002 892 A1 for a user by means of a so-called money box to feed coins to coin modules which are adapted to receive coin money and to pay coins out to customers and which for instance may be part of a cash system and/or a self-service terminal. Said money box comprises a coin storage means for keeping a stock of coins and an enclosure with typically two openings. A first opening is arranged as a charge aperture and serves for filling the coin storage means with coins. Loading the money box is usually done in a coin issuing station outside a sales room. The first opening is typically closable. A second opening is a discharge aperture and serves for dispensing coins from the coin storage unit. Said discharge aperture cannot be opened unless the money box is direct docked to a charge aperture and/or securely locked to a coin module. On opening the money box the coins are direct dropped from the coin storage means of the money box into a filler opening of the coin module which is for instance funnel-shaped, and are from there fed into a separate coin storage means of the coin module. Coins contained in the coin storage unit of the money box are normally unsorted. The money box is loaded with a mixture of different coins in line with what is the typical coin demand for a particular coin module to ensure that the coin module can be self-sufficiently used over a predetermined length of time. This condition is satisfied when it is possible at whatever time to pay out a demanded change to a customer.
Generally have money boxes been used with acceptable results in filling coin modules with coins, but one coin module only can be filled at a time from one money box because the full content of a coin storage means thereof is usually emptied into the coin module. This means that a separate money box has to be kept available for each coin module or that the money box needs to be filled with coins repeatedly. This is a very time consuming process especially in large-scale retail enterprises with a plurality of cash systems. Transport of money boxes by a valuables transport service hence involves considerable expense.